


Off the Leash

by Spinofflady



Series: Life with Lunatics [1]
Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-14
Updated: 2016-03-06
Packaged: 2018-05-06 15:02:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5421464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spinofflady/pseuds/Spinofflady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>**PLEASE READ THE ORIGINAL STORY "SOULS OF FIRE" FIRST.**</p><p>The village is having a hard time getting used to Cabella's presence especially when she moves in with her pet wolf, Ahimra.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Leash Law

**Author's Note:**

  * For [My dog Leaina](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=My+dog+Leaina).



"Ahimra!"

  
"Get that wolf!"

  
Ahimra tore through the village, crashing into everything. Cabella and Hiccup chased after her, trying to corner the wolf before she destroyed the entire town. Ahimra raced through the forge, knocking over Gobber's table and scaring the dragon whose teeth he was working on.

  
"That's the third time this week, darn it!" Gobber shouted, throwing his helmet on the ground in frustration.

  
"Ahimra, slow down!" Cabella panted, grabbing at her wolf's tail.

  
Ahimra continued running, slowing just enough for Cabella to almost catch her before taking off again. Hiccup dove at the wolf and grabbed her waist, preventing her from moving.

  
Cabella ran up beside them, grabbing the rope collar around Ahimra's neck.

  
"Bad wolf!" She scolded. "Very bad wolf! Stop running crazy like that! Next time you do it I will give a bath!"

  
At the word "bath" Ahimra lowered her head and tucked her tail. Ahimra hated baths.

  
Cabella pulled Ahimra up to the house, avoiding the annoyed looks that the villagers shot her. Hiccup stood up and brushed himself off, shaking his head in exasperation. Ahimra was not adapting to village life very well.

  
That night in the Great Hall, Hiccup attempted to calm the angry village.

  
"That wolf is terrorizing my children!" Alva shouted, rocking a baby.

  
"And it ate my salted meat that I was storing for winter!" Bodil added, shaking his fist.

  
Hiccup rubbed his temples, trying to figure out what to do. Ahimra wasn't trying to do anything wrong, she was a wolf; she was being a wolf.  
"Look," he began, standing up from the council table. "Ahimra doesn't realize she's doing anything wrong. She can't even see, for Thor's sake. Remember when the dragons first came to Berk? Nearly every person in this room wanted to drive them away for good. But the dragons were just being dragons, and when we taught them how to live with Vikings, everything turned out fine. Just give Ahimra a chance to learn how to live in the village."

  
"I don't think that's such a good idea," a grouchy voice replied.

  
"Why's that, Mildew?" Hiccup asked with a sigh.

  
"Well, for one thing, the dragons have a use."

  
"Who are you, and what have you done with Mildew?"

  
"Oh, don't get me wrong, I despise those beasts."

  
"Oh, it is you."

  
"Yes, it's me. Now, I've heard the complaints of the people, Hiccup. That wolf is clearly looking for trouble. And I of all people want something done about it."

  
"I understand you're upset, Mildew. But we have to give Ahimra a chance."

  
"Oh, I'm all for giving her chance. But on a few conditions."

  
"And what might those conditions be?"

  
"You leash that wolf!"

  
"What?"

  
"We want that animal on a leash, Hiccup! And if you don't we'll have to run it out of town!"

  
"But Ahimra's never been leashed before! How is that fair to her?"

  
"You can leash her, or we'll do it ourselves!"

  
Hiccup sat down in his seat. He didn't want to leash 'Himra, it wouldn't be fair. Ahimra didn't mean any harm; she was just acting the way she always did. Except now, Ahimra couldn't act the way she always did. She lived in a village now, and in a village, she couldn't run wild and roughhouse.

  
As he walked home, he wondered how he would get Cabella to ever agree with putting Ahimra on a leash. He pushed open the door to his house and stepped inside. He climbed the stairs to his room, pulled off his leather armor, and flopped back on his bed.

  
He had almost fallen asleep; when he remembered he had to talk to his sister, so he reluctantly got up and headed back down stairs.  
He knocked on Cabella's door, yawing tiredly.

  
"What?" Cabella called from inside.

  
"Can I come in?"

  
"Yeah."

  
Hiccup entered the room, finding Cabella sprawled on the bed with Ahimra lying across her belly and Comet asleep on the floor.

  
"Sup," she said, staring at the ceiling.

  
"A lot of stuff," Hiccup replied, sitting cross legged on the bed next to her.

  
"Such as?"

  
"Such as tonight meeting at the Great Hall."

  
"What about it?"

  
"They want to put Ahimra on a leash-"

  
"What!? Why!?" Cabella sat bolt upright, Ahimra slipping onto the floor.

  
"They're just upset! They think she's being too destructive. Just put her on a leash for a few days. They'll calm down, just like they did with the dragons."

  
"But how is that fair to her?"

  
"It's not fair to her, I get it. But I can't have an angry village."

  
"You're going to have an angry wolf if you put her on a leash."

  
"Yes, I am aware of that." Hiccup folded his arms.

  
"And a really angry sister."

  
"I am aware of that, too."

  
Cabella gave him one of her looks. She sighed and got up off her bed. As she turned Hiccup glanced at her stump, noticing the wound was nearly healed. It had scarred of course, but to Cabella, a scar was something to be proud of.

  
"Will this work?" She asked, holding up a leather strap.

  
Hiccup was so deep in thought he didn't reply.

  
"Hello?! Earth to Hiccup!"

  
"Oh, sorry. Just...just thinking."

  
"Duh! I'm not that socially impaired!"

  
"I didn't say you were socially impaired!" Hiccup retorted defensively.

  
"You were thinking that!"

  
"Do we seriously have to argue about everything?!"

  
"I'm not the one who started the argument!"

  
"Oh, and I was."

  
"Duh!"

  
"I did not start this argument!"he bellowed.

  
"I would have thought you'd have the sense to end it!"

  
The two stopped immediately. Cabella turned to face the door, and Hiccup stared at the same place. There was their mother, hands on her hips, ready to give them both a beating.

  
"What is going on in here!?" she demanded.

  
"He started it!" Cabella shouted quickly, pointing at her brother.

  
"No I didn't!"

  
"Yes you did!"

  
"Did not!"

  
"Did to!"

  
"ENOUGH!" Valka shouted, glaring at the both of them. "Must you fight about everything? If you two thought you could get away with it, you'd fight over who owned what part of the house!"

  
"We already did," Cabella muttered.

  
"And I'm telling you, the kitchen should be mine! I'm older and I eat more!" Hiccup started yelling again.

  
"But I'm the better cook!"

  
"Alright! That is it!" Valka had clearly lost all patience. " Hiccup! Upstairs! Now! Cabella! Let that wolf out so it doesn't pee in my house!"

  
"Yak-face," Hiccup whispered as he walked past his sister.

  
"Muttonhead," She hissed back.

  
"Stop. Now." Valka insisted. "What am I going to do with those two?" She asked Cloudjumper, once her children were out of earshot.


	2. The Box of Trinkets

The next day was slightly easier for Hiccup. There were only a few complaints, and Ahimra didn't destroy any family heirlooms.

"Maybe today won't be so bad," Hiccup said cheerfully to Toothless.

"Hiccup!"

"And I've spoken to soon. What is it, Mildew?"

"I wanted the wolf on a leash!"

"She is on a leash!"

"You only think she is. Go find that wolf and you'll see exactly what I mean."

Sighing, Hiccup set off to find Ahimra. He soon spotted her running around outside their house. And surprisingly, Mildew was right. She _was_ off the leash.

"Bella!" he called to his sister. "Why isn't Ahimra on a leash?"

"She is on a leash," Cabella replied, pointing to the leather strap trailing behind her pet. "I'm just not holding the other end."

Hiccup smacked his forehead with his palm. "You do realize the definition of leash is a strap or cord for RESTRAINING OR GIUDING an animal."

"So I'm actually required to hold the other end?"

"Yes."

"Well, you could've explained that part."

Hiccup didn't bother with a reply. It wouldn't make any difference. Cabella was stubborn as a rock.

"Hey!" He suddenly heard his mother calling. "You two! Come help me with these boxes!"

They had been unpacking all of Cabella and Belka's things, which they had brought from her island in large crates. Packing them was fairly easy, but unpacking? Not so much.

The two signed and slouched inside. Of course, it was fun exploring all of the contraptions Cabella had collected over the years, but when the contraptions never ended, even Hiccup got bored.

"Alright," Valka began, noticing the annoyed looks of her children. "One more hours work out of you two and you're done."

They brightened visibly.

"What's in this batch?" Valka asked her daughter, referring to the boxes.

Cabella thought for a moment. "Trinkets, clothes, useless stuff," She said, pointing to the different boxes.

"Bella, you do the clothes and see if anything still fits. If it's too big or too small we'll give it to someone else who can fit in it. Hiccup you look and see if you want any of that useless stuff. I'll sort trinkets." Valka gave out the marching orders.

"How come I have to sort the junk?"Hiccup groaned.

"One Viking's trash is another Viking's treasure. I thought you like junk." Cabella replied.

"I do-"

"Then quit complaining." Valka added.

The three set to work, digging through the boxes and stopping to rub their aching necks every five minutes. Hiccup found that some of Cabella's junk was actually very interesting, but he certainly didn't want his mother to know that. Not after complaining as much as he did. That would just give her teasing material.

"I forgot I had this!" Cabella said excitedly, holding up a tiny dress. It was faded blue with long sleeves made from a cottony material. It would barely fit on a five year old, but it was still cute.

"Or this," She continued, holding up another one, this time green. "It's too bad I can't fit in these anymore. I forgot how adorable they were!"

Hiccup rolled his eyes. He would never understand why baby clothes were so important to women. It wasn't like they would fit in them anymore; why keep a useless outfit? Astrid was the same way. When she'd grown out of her plated skirt, she'd put it in a box and kept in on a shelf just to get covered in dust.

He'd finally managed to convince her to let him use the leather for his flight helmet, but that had taken more than a few failed attempts. Then, when she finally did give it to him, he realized it wasn't really what he wanted and ended up having to stain the leather gray. (Mainly because it turned rather red after Hiccup realized sewing tiny stitches was a lot harder than it looked and it was way too easy to poke yourself with the needle.)

"What's this?" Valka asked, holding up a small wooden box.

Cabella laughed. "That would be my first whittling project. As you can see, I wasn't all that great with a knife." She ran her hand over the rough edges and uneven sides.

"Hey Bella," Hiccup called, fiddling with a small metal box that seemed to have no opening. "What's this thing supposed to do?"

"Don't open it!!" She hollered urgently.

"Why?"

"Because I promise, you will wish you had opened it outside."

"What's in it?"

"I highly, _highly_ , doubt you want to know."

"Are you kidding? I'm a Haddock! You tell a Haddock don't open something I they'll wonder about it until they go insane! Like, get shipped off the island insane!"

"Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you."

Hiccup sat the box to the side, still wondering what about it was not to be opened indoors. And if it was so important, why was it in the junk box?

"Cabella, where did you get this?" Valka asked suddenly, in an almost wonder filled voice. Hiccup didn't hear that tone very often; he'd only heard once, to be exact, and that had been when his mother had met him for the first time in seventeen years. He figured whatever it was she was referring to must have been interesting, so he turned to see what it was.

His mother was holding up a small brooch, with an intricately designed metal back with a blue gem in the middle.

"It's beautiful," Valka commented, almost to encourage her daughter on.

"I didn't steal it."

Hiccup and Valka were slightly surprised at Cabella's answer.

"I never said you did." Valka replied.

"I know, but the story that goes with it is kinda hard to believe."

"We'll believe you."

"Okay..."

_Lise crept slowly toward the great room in which the chiefs were meeting. She stole another glance at Drago's ship in the harbor, wondering what the man was planning. She gestured to Comet, who followed silently. The six year old had followed Drago Bludvist on her dragon, mainly out of curiosity. She sneaked into the building behind a large man, motioning for Comet to wait for her._

_The dragon climbed to the top of the roof, waiting to hear her rider's call._

_Lise climbed to the rafters above the Hall, where she could see and hear everything. From her space between the boards, she could see Drago entering the room. The chieftains noticed him and sat up stiffly, wondering who this man was. He was covered in scars and draped in a cloak of dragon skin. He carried no weapon, and spoke softly to the others._

_"I," he began in a hushed tone, "am Drago Bludvist. I am a man of the people. I wish to free all of mankind from the tyranny of dragons. I alone can control the dragons, and I alone can keep you safe. But there is a price. You must all bow down, and follow me."_

_The room broke into ripples of laughter. None of the men would give up their pride in such a way._

_"Then see how well you do without me!" Drago roared, slamming the door behind him._

_The roof suddenly burst into flames, and from it armored dragons descended, challenging the defenseless men. A large Snafflefang snarled at Lise, but she outstretched her hand to the dragon's nose, and its face softened._

_As the girl was slipping out of the roof, she noticed one man swinging his ax at one of the dragons, and it bounced off the armor the beast wore. Lise glared at him; she hated it when someone threatened a dragon. But her anger left her as the creature ferociously knocked him to the ground. He deserved to live. She didn't know why, but something in her blood told her loud and clear "Save him."_

_"Quick!" She screamed above the noise. "Dis way!"_

_The man glanced up at her cautiously before swinging up through her hole. "Huwwy!" she encouraged, sliding down the roof. Making sure that the man was behind her, Lise dashed off into the woods. "Tomet!" she called to her dragon. "Tomet, tome hewe!"_

_The dragon bounded up, and as she caught sight of the man, she jumped in front of the little girl to protect her. The man pulled out a sword. He would not let this dragon harm the child who had just saved his life._

_"No!" Lise screamed when she saw what the man was about to do. "Don't huwt my dwadon! She's my fwiend! Don't huwt Tomet!"_

_The man lowered his weapon. Was this child calling the **dragon** her friend? Did she really feel safe around the creature? _

_"Tomet," the child rattled on, "Thit down and don't eat the nishe man yike you eated Dwado." The dragon sat, glaring ferociously at the man._

_"How did you do that?" the man asked in amazement._

_Lise giggled. "Tomet is my fwiend. She wiw do anyting fow me."_

_"Do your parents know you have a dragon friend?"_

_"I don't have any pawents. They getted yost a yong, yong time ado. And dey nevew tomed to find me." she hung her head sadly._

_"Well, who do you live with?"_

_"I yive wif Tomet and Himwa and Bewta and Me!"_

_"Do you live on this island?"_

_"No. I yive next to Dwado. He's a bad man. I sink he taked my mommy and daddy away."_

_"Drago took your mommy and daddy away?"_

_"Wew, he didn't take my mommy away. My mommy died. But my daddy nevew tomed to det me. I don't sink he's even yooking fow me."_

_"Oh, I'm sure he's looking for you."_

_"How do you know?"_

_"Because I'm a daddy, and I'll never stop looking for my little girl."_

_Lise looked up at the man with her shining blue eyes. Maybe he was right. Maybe her daddy was still looking. "I should doe home now," she told him._

_"Wait," the man said quickly. "I want to give you something. As a thank-you. You saved my life, so take this, please." He handed her a small brooch, made of silver and a blue gem in the center. "It was my wife's," he continued, "but after what you did, she would've wanted you to have it."_

_Lise took it gently, running her small fingers over the gift. "Tank you," she whispered, before running off with her dragon._


	3. On the Cliffs

Cabella’s story had no real meaning to Hiccup, but Valka seemed to find it more interesting. “Bella,” she began in a hushed tone, “That man that you saved—did he have a red beard?”

“Yes.”

“And green eyes?”

“I think so…”

“Cabella, that man was your father.”

Cabella’s hand flew to her mouth in shock as she stared at her mother in disbelief. “H- he was my…dad?”

Valka nodded. “This brooch was mine. He gave it to me as a wedding present.”

Cabella turned and walked numbly out of the room, her steps slow and dazed.

“What’s up with her?” Hiccup asked. He too was a little surprised by the discovery, but his father was dead, so it didn’t really matter.

“Not now, Hiccup,” his mother replied shortly, but her voice was not stern. Valka took the brooch and walked to her room, shutting the door firmly.

Cabella ran run up to the cliffs to absorb the shock. She had saved her father’s life? That man whom she had meet so long ago—he was the man she had so ardently searched for! And yet… she could not quite pinpoint the emotion she now felt. There was a growing anger in her—her father had not recognized her and brought her home. There was an overwhelming sadness—all those years she had been separated from her family.

But she was glad—she had one memory of her father, and it was a good memory.

“May I join you?”

Cabella immediately recognized her mother’s voice. She turned to face her with a small smile and nodded. Valka eased herself down beside her daughter.

“I came to give this back to you,” the older woman said, passing Cabella the brooch.

“But… it’s yours,” Cabella muttered, pushing it back toward her mother.

Valka chuckled and turned Cabella’s hand over and placed the brooch in the girl’s palm. “It _was_ mine,” she replied softly, “but your father was right. I want you to have it.”

“Why?”

“Well, for one thing, it matches your eyes.”

“That’s a stupid reason to give it to me.”

“Oh, I know that. I want you to keep it because Stoick gave it to you. I want you to have something of him.”

Cabella turned the brooch over in her palm. “It’s beautiful,” she commented.

“Aye,” Valka agreed. “It is. And so are you.”

“Mom!” Cabella groaned, blushing deeply.

“Well, it’s true!” Valka laughed. “And I’m not the only one who thinks so. I’ve caught Gustav Larson staring at you at least six times in the past week.”

“Gustav Larson is _gross._ He wears cologne made from boar saliva. He _never_ bathes. And don’t even get me started about what his feet look like! I swear there’s some form of green stuff growing on his feet! And to top all that off, he’s got head lice!”

“I only hinted that he likes you. I never once said you were required to like him back.”

“Good.”

Valka placed an arm around her daughter, and the two sat watching the village for a time. They laughed as a little girl chased after her Terrible Terror. They counted the houses lining the streets of Berk. They watched the ocean waves crash into the sea stacks.

“It still blows my mind,” Valka said finally.

“What does?” Cabella asked.

“That you saved you father’s life. It’s just a pity you never got to see him again. He searched for you until the very day he died. When we were reunited at the Bewilderbeast’s nest, we had a few minutes alone, and I asked him if he’d ever found you. I’ll never forget the look on his face. He was so angry with himself for not brining you back. It broke his heart to tell me you were still missing, but do you know what he said to me?”

“No.”

“He looked in the eyes and said: ‘I never stopped looking, Val.’ He wanted you back so much. I thought from that day on, we could look for you together.”

Valka paused and drew in a shaky breath. “But that was not to be. Even when we were burning his funeral ship, I could only hope to have you-”

“Wait…you burned dad’s funeral ship at the Bewilderbeast nest?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, Thor.”

“What?”

“Me and Comet were watching you guys, and we thought he was a prisoner that you were burning or trying to drowned or something. So when you guys weren’t paying attention, we flew down and grabbed the body. And, uh, no offense, but you guys have horrible aim. _None_ of the arrows actually hit the body, and it might be a good idea not to try and burn a _wet_ ship. Anyway, we brought the body over to the mainland and then we realized the guy was dead, so…”

Valka burst out laughing. “Oh, Bella!” she gasped. “Only you would steal the corpse off a funeral ship!”

“You’re not mad or anything?”

“Goodness, no! That’s one of the funniest mistakes I’ve heard in a long time! Of course, it would have been nice for your father to have a proper funeral, but as you said, we couldn’t burn the ship in the first place. Your father wouldn’t have cared if he didn’t have a ‘proper Viking funeral.’ He wasn’t that sort of man. If he were alive, and you had done that to someone else, he would have been _roaring_ with laughter. Believe me, it was difficult to make Stoick laugh, hence his name, but what you did would have had him in tears.”

“That’s good, I guess.”

“One more thing,” Valka began, “Don’t tell Hiccup what you did just yet. It might really upset him to know that his father didn’t get the funeral intended.”

“Who said I’d be upset?”

Mother and daughter turned abruptly. There stood Hiccup, grinning like a fool and obviously proud of himself for overhearing their conversation.

“Well, no one did. I just assumed-”

“Well, you assumed wrong. I personally find what Cabella did to be very amusing, and shame on you for not including me in the fun.” Hiccup faked a pout and crossed his arms.

Cabella died with laughter right then and there, but Valka managed to control herself long enough to retort. “And shame on you for eavesdropping.”

“You win,” Hiccup laughed, sitting down beside them.

“I always win.”


	4. Plasma Water

“So,” Hiccup began, approaching his sister, who sat on the front steps, shucking corn. “Are you gonna show me what’s in that box?”

Cabella glanced up from her work. She had placed an ear of corn between her knees to hold it upright and ripped the corn husks off with her right hand. “I could,” she replied. “but I’m busy right now. If you were to help, though…”

Hiccup sat down immediately to help her. He was _dying_ to know what was inside that box. He ended up doing most of the work, because Cabella was perfectly content to work at her own relaxed pace. In other words, her _unbelievably_ slow pace.

They finally finished, and while Cabella brought the corn to her mother, Hiccup ran to get the mysterious container. Cabella made it very clear that she wanted the rest of the riders to be present when she showed him what it was.

Everyone gathered at the Dragon Academy, and much to Cabella’s pleasure, Eret failed to show up.

“I’m going to show you what this is,” Cabella began, “but if anything goes wrong, blame Hiccup.” With that she tossed the box on the ground.

At first, nothing happened. After a few seconds a thin stream of smoke began to leak out of the box.

“That’s all it does?” Tuffnut whined. “It doesn’t even explode or…explode or…blow up or… explode…?”

“What are rip off!” Ruffnut chimed in. “It should definitely explode! Exploding things are cool! Especially when they explode Tuffnut’s head!”

“Yeah!” Tuff agreed. “Wait, what?”  

“I hate to be the one who sides with the twins,” Astrid added, “but that was a little underwhelming.”

“Well, sorry guys,” Cabella shrugged. “I thought that was a plasma water bomb. Who knew it was one of my _ancient_ smoke bombs!”

Hiccup was suddenly drawn out of his disappointment. “What’s plasma water?” he asked.

“You don’t know?” Cabella was obviously surprised.

Hiccup shook his head.

“You ride a Night Fury and you don’t know what plasma water is?”

“Never heard of it.”

“Well, it’s time you learn.” She turned and called for Comet, who came bounding over. With a quick motion from her rider, Comet raised her head to the sky and began a plasma blast. The high-pitched shriek that came before the blast filled the arena, but Comet never let her shot go. Instead, she faced her rider and began to retch, and she finally hacked up a clear liquid into Cabella’s palm.

“This,” she started, holding out her hand for everyone to see, “is plasma water.”

Everyone glanced at her skeptically.

“It’s basically dragon barf,” she finished.

“What is it for?” Fishlegs questioned softly.

“It’s what fuels a plasma blast. It’s stored in a gland at the bottom of a Night Fury’s mouth. When they want to shoot plasma, they press they’re tongue to the bottom of their mouth, which releases the plasma water. The dragon’s hot breath is what ignites the blast. All dragons have this gland on the sublingual area of their mouths, but the Night Fury is the only dragon whose ‘fuel’ is edible.”

“You mean they eat it?”

“No, I eat it.”

“You eat plasma water!?” Hiccup nearly shouted.

“Yeah! It’s very filling—you could live on one handful of it for days. And once you get used to the taste, it’s really good! This stuff has saved my life on multiple occasions!”

Astrid stepped forward. “Let me try it.”

Cabella smiled and approached her, putting her hand forward for Astrid to scoop up the liquid.

“Oh, sweet mother of Thor, what is that smell?!” Astrid backed away holding her nose.

“I forgot to mention _how_ it saved my life. People physically cannot stand the smell of it, so they either start puking or just run away. That’s why you never, never, ever set off a plasma water bomb indoors. It’s like the smell of skunk spray on steroids and then multiplied by seven-hundred.”

“How can you stand to eat that stuff?” Astrid groaned, clutching her stomach.

“I’m immune to it,” Cabella replied simply.

“What does that mean?” Snotlout demanded, lathering some of Hookfang’s saliva on his underarms.

“Please tell me you know what immune means,” Cabella groaned.

“Duh! I know what im-noon means! But does it mean to be im-noon to that stuff?”

“It means that I ate enough of it so that my stomach doesn’t reject it.”

“How much is enough?” Fishlegs inquired nervously.

“Eh, six or eight bowls.”

“Six or eight _bowls_?” Astrid whimpered.

“Yep. And I hate to break it to you, but you have to drink it.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re already having a reaction to it. The only way to stop the symptoms you’re having now is to become immune to plasma water.”

Astrid groaned. “Why did I ever step foot near that stuff?”

“I’ll drop off some jugs of plasma water at your house on my way home.”

Astrid sat down heavily on a barrel. “This is so not fair.”

Hiccup placed his arm around his girlfriend, and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. (Ruff and Tuff pretended to gag as he did so.) “I personally would like to be immune to plasma water. I think it would be useful if we ever ran out of supplies when food isn’t available. We can also use it for defense. So I’m going to drink the stuff, too. Anyone else who wants to drink it is welcome to.”

Fishlegs spoke up. “I would like to study the effect of plasma water and how we become immune to it. Count me in.”

“Well, since I can’t have Guppylegs and Peg-Leg boy upstaging me, I’ll do it too,” Snotlout decided.

“We’ll drink it if it will make something explode,” Ruffnut and Tuffnut chorused.

As Cabella dropped off the jugs of plasma water to her friend’s houses, she chuckled to herself at the thought of how they would bitterly regret ever opening the bottles.

. . .

The next morning, Hiccup never came to the table for breakfast. He had never felt worse in his life. He had eaten Yaknog and raw regurgitated fish and Thor knows what all else, but never in his life been so sick to his stomach. He’d lost count of how many times he’d thrown up in the past night, and as the smell of breakfast came wafting into his bedroom, the number only grew larger.

Astrid had not slept a wink in the past night, and no herb her mother had given her would sooth her churning stomach. How had she ever let Cabella talk her into drinking that horrible stuff? She miserably told Stormfly they would have to miss their morning flight and pulled the covers over her head.

Fishlegs—well, the only thing Fishlegs had studied the past night was the bottom of the barf-bucket next to his bed. No amount of Meatlug licking his toes or fluffing his pillow or reading or singing had helped him feel even the slightest bit better.

Snotlout was not even slightly prepared for the experience that lay ahead. He had scared his father with his sudden illness and ended up spending the night in Gothi’s hut and eventually threw up on one of her rugs. She gave him a tonic that made him even more sick to teach him to use the bucket.

The twins… it might be best not to mention what happened with the twins.


	5. The Fight

With nothing else to do, Cabella spent her day exploring the island with Comet and Ahimra. Berk was truly beautiful, but her island would always and forever be home.

There were many wild dragons roaming throughout Berk, and she quickly made friends with a wild Nadder. Hiccup had asked her to teach Astrid’s class at the Academy, so late in the afternoon she headed in for the arena.

To her dismay, she found Eret target practicing there. Skullcrusher was dosing in the evening sun. Glancing around, she crept up to the Academy entrance. There was no one else around. It would be so simple to sneak up on Eret, end his life and not a single person would know. She had always been a good actress, so if anyone did accuse her it would be easy to fool people into thinking she had nothing to do with it. Besides, the chief was her brother, and he would immediately side with her.

She pulled her dagger from her waist and silently crept toward him. It dawned on her that he didn’t really deserve to die quickly. He certainly hadn’t killed the Furies quickly; maybe she wouldn’t just stab him. Maybe she would cut him in a few times first. His death didn’t need to be as horrific as Huegsa’s; Eret had not done half the things Huegsa had.

Anger and hurt welled up inside Cabella at the thought of Huegsa. She was glad he had died slowly and painfully.

She was nearly to Eret when Skullcrusher woke. He snorted to warn his rider of the girl. Eret turned around and jumped back at the sight of Cabella.

“What are you doing?” he demanded nervously, eyeing her raised knife.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” she replied casually. “I’m going to kill you.”

Eret backed up again, motioning to Skullcrusher.

“Oh, please don’t try to run. It’s such a bother having to chase you all around the ocean and I’d prefer to kill you now.”

“Well, I’d prefer to stay alive, thank you,” Eret said quietly.

“I don’t care about your preferences!” Cabella snapped. “I care about avenging the dragons you murdered, and I want your blood spilled in the process!”

Eret swallowed to clam himself. He and Cabella had been through this routine before, and it had always been luck that saved his life. He could only wonder how much of his blood she planned on spilling. There had been times before when she had slit his skin only to cause pain, but now, there was a look in her eyes that very plainly said: _I **will** kill you. It’s just a matter of how quickly I do it._

Perhaps he could stall her. “Astrid will be here in a few minutes to train the students. She’ll see my body here and know the blood is fresh, and she’ll know it was you who did it because of what you did the first time you came to Berk.”

Cabella laughed nonchalantly and swung her knife around casually by its cords, used for tying the weapon to her belt. “Astrid’s not coming,” she announced in a sing-song voice. “I’m teaching in her place.”

“Why are you teaching instead of her?”

“Because she got exposed to plasma water, so she has to go through the whole immunization process.”

“I pity her. Immunization to plasma water is horrible.”

“Oh, please. What do you know about it?”

“You don’t remember force-feeding me that awful stuff for two hours straight?”

“Oh yes, that was such fun! I thought for sure you’d hack your lungs up! It’s a pity you didn’t.”

Eret could tell his approach wasn’t working. Cabella was only going along with it because it gave her a chance to mock him. “Why do you want to kill me?” he began tactfully.

“You killed my dragons.”

“You’ll have to kill a dragon if you want to kill me,” he told her, flashing his distress signal to Skullcrusher. The dragon stepped in front of him and roared at Cabella.

“Cute,” she quipped. Cabella rolled her call off her tongue and outstretched her hand. Skullcrusher pressed his nose into her palm. She gave her call again, though this time she seemed to be telling the dragon something. Eventually, Skullcrusher just ambled out of the ring.

Eret gulped at the malicious glare Cabella gave him. She raised her knife once more. With quick strides she crossed the arena and back Eret against the wall.

“Any last words?” she asked, aiming her dagger at his chest.

“Yes, actually,” he began, ready to pounce on his last chance to survive. “I propose a fight—a fight to the death. Sword to sword, skill against skill only. No dragons may be involved, and the winner must kill their opponent quickly. It would be a test of endurance with no respite.”

Cabella lowered her weapon. She stood weighing out her options. She liked the sound of Eret’s proposal, but she wasn’t she if she trusted him to play by the rules. “Do you swear by the gods that no tricks are to be involved?”

“May Thor strike me dead if I do. And do you swear as well?”

“By Loki, I swear.”

Both took a sword from the barrels of weapons. They met in the center of the ring, swords raised, ready strike. Both were well accustomed to swordplay, but not the form most Vikings had learned. No, these two had learned to watch their opponent’s movements to see what they planned to do next. They were taught to make quick and sudden movements, and to never form a pattern with their strikes.

Both had fought with the best of the best and come out the champion, but never had they challenged one another head on. They now faced a fair opponent, and soon they would see who the better swordsman was.

Cabella was quick and light on her feet. She never allowed a pattern to form in her movements. No one could tell where she would strike next. She had learned through experience never to guess her rivals next move by where their feet and hands where, but by where their eyes were fixed and in what way their muscles tensed.

Eret, however, had a muscular swing and endurance without end. He did not fight quite as much with his brain, but was still quite capable of bluffing his way to victory. But no matter how much experience he had, his nerves still jangled. Cabella would be able to outfight him when it came down to the hard truth. She knew how to use her surrounds to her advantage.

The two circled around one another, taking in the others movements, trying to see what their approach would be. Cabella quickly picked up that Eret had tightened his grip on the blade and his shoulder was tensed giving the impression that he planned to strike hard and fast. Her theory was proven when he fixed his eyes on her sword hilt, giving away that he planned to disarm her.

Eret could see that Cabella remained relaxed and tranquil, her hand loosely holding her sword. Perhaps he could use the element of surprise to his advantage. He would disarm her with slashes in quick succession. She would have no time to react.

Both felt tension as they drew in a breath before their attack. Eret suddenly swung his sword over top of Cabella. She had seen this coming and blocked it just in time. From there the fight grew ugly.

Cabella dodged most of Eret’s blows and made excellent use of her feet. She kept Eret busy chasing her around the arena and wasting his energy, while using very little of her own.

She finally began to take his blows while giving some of her own. Her quick timing and amazing foresight allowed her to slit his thigh.

Eret, now limping from his injury, could no longer keep up the nimble girl. She used this also to her advantage, and began to wear him out further. She failed to glance behind her, and accidentally backed into a wall. Eret immediately jumped on this lead. He hacked at her mercilessly and eventually hit her metal arm, knocking one of the bars in its frame out of place. The bar jabbed into her back. This should have caused pain every time she moved, but Cabella never seemed to feel pain the way others did.

“Seems I’m the better one now, with you missing an arm and all,” Eret taunted, hoping to distract her. It only made her angry.

In furious rage, she ducked under his blade and slammed the hilt of her sword into Eret’s knee cap. He groaned and stumbled forward. She stood quickly and knocked the weapon from his hands. She was ready to deliver the killing blow, but he tripped her with his foot and instead of hitting him with her sword, the blade hit the ground and shattered.

Eret grabbed his sword and tried to finish the fight, but Cabella managed to pull the same maneuver on him as he had her. His sword was now across the ring, and neither of them had much energy left.

But Cabella did not intend to lose. Now was her chance to execute the move she had set up before the fight had even begun. As Eret struggled to his feet, she threw back her head gave the scream of a Night Fury. Comet flew into the ring such a high speed her wings whistled.

Eret noticed what she had done. “You swore there would be no dragons!” he shouted.

Cabella laughed, her eyes gleaming. “On the name of Loki. No one is required to keep an oath sworn by the god of pranks. You were so easy to fool. You never even thought about what you agreed to.”

With a quick gesture with her hand, she motioned Comet forward. “Comet,” she began, a sinister glare in on her face. “Finish this.”

Comet’s eye’s faded to red—her Death Breather instinct had taken over. She would now stop at nothing to see Eret dead. She hissed at him savagely, and shot a plasma blast at the gate to cut off his escape.

Cabella had sat down on a barrel to enjoy the show. She had waited for this day for seven long years.

Comet cornered Eret in a dragon pen. She shot a blast of fire at barrel. It dissolved into a pile of ashes. Half of Comet’s blood was Death Breather, but she had never been given permission to kill someone the way a Death Breather would. She prepared to fire at Eret, but briefly glanced at Cabella for approval. Her rider nodded.

Comet shrieked and pressed her tongue to the bottom of her mouth.

“Comet no!”

Comet swallowed her flame, wondering why Cabella had stopped her. But it wasn’t Cabella. It was Astrid.

“Cabella, what are you doing!?” Astrid shouted. “Comet was about to _kill_ Eret! Why didn’t you stop her?!”

“Because I’m the one who told her to kill him! And then you had to come in here and ruin it!” Cabella replied angrily.

“You _told_ Comet to kill him?! Cabella, that’s murder! What were you thinking?!”

“I don’t care if it’s murder, attempted murder, first, second, or third degree murder! I want that man dead, and I _will_ _not_ stop until he is!” She stormed out of the arena, and Comet followed snarling at Astrid on her way out.

Astrid rushed over Eret. She could see his leg was bleeding and his knee was swollen. The man was so worn out he gasped for air, and sweat dripped down his forehead.

“Are you alright?” she asked, much louder than necessary.

Eret nodded gingerly. “She’s good for only having one arm.”

“What happened? How did the fight get started?”

“She sneaked up behind me and was trying to kill me, so I proposed we fight like civilized people. I thought I had a better chance of surviving that way.”

“Can you bear weight on your leg? I think we better get you to a healer.”

“I don’t know,” Eret replied. “It might be broken.”

Astrid didn’t dare move Eret for fear he’d injure himself more. “I’m going to get a healer. I’ll leave Stormfly here with you in case Cabella comes back.”

Eret raised an eyebrow. “Do you think that will make a difference? She got Skullcrusher to leave without a problem.”

“Oh… well, It’s a start. I’ll be quick. Cabella most likely won’t come back. She knows I’m going to tell her brother, so she’s probably half way to her island by now.”

Astrid left the ring and sprinted to the healer’s house. Within a few minutes Eret was being tended to, and Astrid was on her way to tell Hiccup what had happened.

She knocked firmly on the door of the Haddock home. Valka answered it and led her inside. Hiccup was sitting in the living room in front of the fireplace, sketching. There was a blanket draped around his shoulders and his hair was wet as though he had recently bathed. Astrid sat down in a chair across from him.

“Afternoon, M’lady. Feeling better, hopefully?” he quipped lightly, without glancing up from his work.

“Somewhat, but that’s not why I’m here, Hiccup. I went down to the Academy to teach my class, and do you know what I found?”

“Cabella teaching your class?”

“No. Cabella in the process of killing Eret.”

Hiccup finally looked up from his drawing. “What?”

“Yes. Cabella had ordered Comet to kill Eret, and she was sitting on a barrel watching.”

“Good Thor. What am I supposed to do with her?”

“You could start by finding her.” Astrid said as she stood to leave. She opened the door and Gobber came barreling through.

“Pardon me, Astrid,” he said quickly. “Hiccup!” he bellowed, “Your sister’s darned dragon came charging into my shop, and at that darned beast at seven of my axe heads, do you hear? That Thor-darned animal _ate_ them! Cage that darn dragon or I’ll do it myself, darn it!”

“Um, Gobber,” Hiccup started, an amused look on his face. “Do you realize you just said ‘darn’ five times in less than thirty seconds?”

“I did? Well, isn’t that fascinating?” Gobber paused. “Do I look like I care, Hiccup? You need to do something about that dragon!” He stormed out of the room without so much as a good-bye.

Hiccup sighed and stood up, groaning as a wave of nausea hit him. He did _not_ want to have to track down his sister at the present. Whistling for Toothless, he ambled out the door.


	6. Off the Leash

 It did not take Hiccup very long to find Cabella. In fact, he didn’t find her at all—she found him. She came running up to him shouting something incoherent. He didn’t bother to ask her about it.

“Cabella!” he shouted, storming up to her with as much authority as possible. “Is it true that you purposely tried to kill Eret?”

 “Yes, but-”

“And do you have a reason for that?”

“Hiccup, there’s a-”

“Just answer the question!”

“Hiccup, you need-”

“ _Now,_ Cabella!”

“Would you let me finish?!”

“You know what? Save it for the Great Hall.” He motioned her up the stairs to the huge building.

“Let me finish Hiccup! I’m trying to-”

“I said ‘SAVE IT!’” Hiccup roared, having lost all patience. Cabella shot him a look of anger and distrust before walking to the Great Hall.

Hiccup took his place at the council table, gazing out over the crowds of shouting people. _Oh, how I wish dad was here to handle this mess!_ He inwardly moaned. He had never thought it would be necessary to conduct a trial for his sister, and a trial for attempted murder at that! Had Cabella not told him she was psychologically incapable of killing an innocent man? What exactly did she classify as innocent?

“The trial for Cabella Haddock is now in session!” Gobber announced loudly. The shouting crowd quieted slightly. “Miss Haddock, you are charged with attempted murder, what is your plea?”

“I’m not pleading for anything!” she shouted. “I’m just trying to tell you that-”

“Please save your testimony for later, Miss Haddock. We would like to call forward the victim!”

Silence fell on the Hall.

“Eh, that’s your cue, Eret!” Gobber hinted.

“Eret’s still at the healer’s!” Someone shouted. “Cabella beat him up so bad he can hardly stand!”

“No, I didn’t!” Cabella yelled back. “He challenged me to the fight, and he was more violent than I was!”

The people began to shout again.

“I saw Eret!” one man shouted. “She did all but kill him!”

“Aye!” agreed someone else. “He was the weakest, bloodiest thing I ever saw!”

“What are you talking about?”

A hush fell upon the crowd. There stood Eret, with only a few scratches on his face and an insignificant bruise on his temple. “The only thing she did was cut my leg, and that didn’t even need stitches.” He explained, obviously confused.

“Eret, could you please identify who started the fight.” Gobber prodded.

“Me,” Eret said simply. Soft gasps could be heard echoing around the room. “I specifically proposed a fight to the death.”

“And why would you propose something like that?” Gobber questioned.

“Many reasons. Mainly because she was trying to kill me without me seeing her, and I wanted to fight and die like an honorable man. Of course, I can forget about dying with honor now that a one-armed, seventeen year-old girl has beaten me with the sword and with her wits.”

A chuckle rose from the bystanders. Cabella, however, glared at Eret with growing hatred.

“So she was trying to kill you?” The Blacksmith clarified.

“Yes, but she had good reason to.”

“What is her ‘good reason’?”

Eret took a deep breath before he began. “Trappers are anything but gentleman. They get what they want whether it’s given willingly or they take it forcefully. That is an example of their character. As a young trapper, I went to the Night Fury nest to trap dragons. Cabella tried everything to stop my fellow trappers and I. Had it not been for me, she may have succeeded.”

Eret was suddenly interrupted by a long howl, presumably Ahimra.

“Cabella had me tied to a tree, and could have easily killed me right then and there.”

“I wish I had,” Cabella mumbled.

Eret ignored her and continued. “I may never know why, but for some reason, she decided to let me go. And do know how I repaid her?”

“Arrrrooooooo!” Ahimra yowled.

“I told Drago exactly when she was hiding. We made her watch us clip the wings of her beloved Night Furies.”

“Arrrooooooo!” wailed Ahimra.

“Then, Drago gave me the ‘honor’ of killing her.”

“Aroo-roo-roo-roooo!”

“As you can see, she has good reason to-”

“Arroooo!”

“Want my life. She has-”

“Arrooooo!”

“Good reason-”

“Arrroooooooooo!”

“To hate me.”

“Ar-ar-ar-aroooooooo!”

“ I don’t-”

“Arrooo!”

“Blame her-”

“Arrooooooooooooo!”

“Will someone please shut that wolf up!?” Hiccup finally shouted, pounding his fist on the table. A man rushed out of the Hall. “Continue, Eret.”

Eret waited for a minute.

“Eret?” Hiccup prodded.

“Wait for it…” Eret replied.

“ARRROOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”

“There we go. As I was saying-”

“Boars!” shouted the man as he burst into the Hall. Eret threw up his hands in exasperation.

“Boars! Hundreds of ‘em! There headed straight for the village!”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you!” Cabella shouted at her brother. “But you wouldn’t listen!”

Hiccup pretended not to hear and gave out his orders. “Take the Nadders to the far side of the herd and scare them toward the cliffs! Nightmares form a barrier into the town! Everyone else help out with herding them away from the village!”

The people burst into action, but no one was prepared for the stampede of boars that had already dashed through the town. It was utter chaos and confusion as Viking tried to herd the angry boars out of town.

“Sylvi!” The people heard Alva shouting. “Sylvi, where are you!?” No one had seen the two year-old.

“No!” Alva suddenly shouted staring over a small cliff. There sat Sylvi, playing with her doll as if nothing were happening, and several boars closing in on her. No one was close enough to do anything to save her. They dared not fire an arrow, for fear it would hit the child instead.

Suddenly, Comet’s roar filled the air, and the unholy offspring of lightning and death swooped down and challenged the boars, placing a protective wing around a child she had never met. The boars turned and ran away squealing.

Comet gently picked up the girl with her paws and flew her up to her mother. Alva said nothing, but simply took her little girl and left the scene.

The black dragon flew up to the highest cliff on Berk, and raising her wings, she gave the ear-splitting screech of a Death Breather. The remaining boars scampered away, instinct telling them to leave before the flesh was melting from their bones.

Everyone headed back to the Great Hall to finish the trail, but no one was really interested in it anymore. Magdon, the man who has gone to silence Ahimra, was eagerly telling everyone what all the noise was about.

“I went out to shut the wolf up, just like the chief wanted.” he began. “And when I found her, she ran off, and led me straight to the boars! She was warning us about the boars!”

“And Comet saved Sylvi,” someone put in. “It isn’t everyday a dragon saves the life of a stranger.”

“Alright, quiet down!” Hiccup ordered, ready to go home and sleep. “Let’s finish up this trial! Legally, Eret is the one who decides what happens, so…”

Eret shrugged. “It’s as much my fault as it is hers. Let the people decide.”

“Okay,” Hiccup started. “Citizens of Berk, how should we end this case?”

The people spoke amongst themselves for a time. Finally, Magdon stepped forward.

“Nothing will be held against Cabella for this incident. However, for Eret’s safety, she must swear that she will make no further attempts to take his life, or physically injure him in any way.” He said, glancing around the room.

“And she can’t swear by Loki!” Eret jumped in quickly.

“Cabella?” Hiccup encouraged.

Cabella sighed heavily. “I swear by Thor, Odin, Freya and all of Valhalla, no impairment will come to Eret. May I be struck dead if this vow is broken, and may all present be my witnesses.”

. . .

Hiccup and Cabella walked home in silence, still too mad at one another to say a word.

“Hey,” Hiccup finally started, “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you earlier. I was just in shock that you would do something like- like what you did.”

“I’m sorry too,” Cabella replied. “I’m certainly not helping you keep the peace. Can you forgive me?”

“Only if you’ll forgive me,” Hiccup smiled.

The two turned to hug the other, but Cabella suddenly backed up, a look of amazement on her face.

“What?” Hiccup asked.

“My arm,” she began in an awestruck voice. “I moved it.”

Hiccup wondered how she could have possibly moved her prosthetic arm. He motioned for her to turn around and began to examine the support bar on the back. It was snapped in the middle and digging into her skin, but she didn’t seem to notice.

“Bella,” he said fiddling with the pieces. “Reach forward with your good arm.”

Cabella did so, and the fake arm moved every so slightly. Hiccup realized that the movements in her other arm were affecting the broken piece of the prosthetic, and thus allowing it to move.

“We can work with that,” he commented as he turned for home.

“Hey, Hiccup?” Cabella asked suddenly.

“Yeah?”

“I’m off the hook about what happened, right?”

“Yeah.”

“And Ahimra?”

“What about her?”

“Is she off the hook? Well, leash?”

Hiccup laughed. “Yes,” he said opening the door for his sister. “Ahimra’s off the leash.”

 

**_THE END_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there it is! The first of many stories to come! I hope that you've enjoyed it. Remember, feedback makes my day...;)


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